Paper fastener



y 1952 A. J. HERMANN 2,602,976

I PAPER FASTENER I Filed D80. 5, 1950 M FIG. 2% /fl g I N YE IV TOR ARTHUR J. HERMAN Patented July 15, 1952 UNITED STATES- OFFICE The present invention relates to paper fasteners and, more particularly, to a paper fastener of simple and economical structure having unique and unexpected advantages from a use standpoint. I

The type of fastener to which the present invention relates is one which can be utilized to fasten together a plurality of paper sheets in superposed relationship and from which the individual sheets may be readily and conveniently separated or additional sheets added as desired. The fastener is usually applied adjacent to one edge of the sheets or at a corner so that access may be had to any individual sheet without removing the fastener.

Although thousands of paper fasteners are used daily and there is a great demand for improved fasteners which will meet modern business requirements, nonetheless commercially available paper fasteners of the type to which the present invention relates have been substantially unchanged for decades and are subject to the same disadvantages which have existed from the outset.

In the first place, conventional paper fasteners usually protrude to an undesirable degree from the surfaces of the top and/or bottom sheets so that the thickness of the file of papers is materially increased. The result is that valuable filing space is wasted, this being of critical concern in those businesses where voluminous files are accumulated, such as insurance companies, and the like. Further,- since uniformity requires the fasteners to be used in substantially the same place on all files, the files of paper become non-uniform in thickness and thus preclude orderly and convenient arrangement. In addition, the protrusions have a A tendency to inter-engage when individual files are withdrawn or inserted, thus rendering the files diflicult to manage and preventing close arrangement of the files if the files are frequently handled. Moreover, conventional fasteners, un less elaborately constructed or provided with reinforcement for the outer sheets, tend to tear the sheets so that portions of the file frequently become separated and lost. In addition, most fasteners of simple construction will not function to keep the sheets of paper from pivoting about the fastener to create misalignment of the sheets and, in any event, the fasteners are generally more elaborate and difficult and expensive to fabricate than warranted by the results attained.

The object of the present invention is' to pro-,

1 Claim. (C1. 24153) vide a paper fastener of simple and inexpensive construction which can be used to attach together a plurality of sheets of paper in superposed relationship and preventing turning or misalignment of the individual sheets, which will not materially increase or render non-uniform the thickness of the file, which will not engage with similar fasteners on adjacent files when the file is inserted or withdrawn, which will effectively retain the papers without inducing tearing of the sheets, and which is simple and foolproof in operation and functioning so that the same may be used effectively by any person without particular instruction or skill.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a paper fastener constructed in accordance'with the invention and ready for insertion through a plurality of sheetsof paper.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the paper fastener before the prongs are bent for insertion through the paper.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view similar to Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side view of the fastener inserted through a plurality of sheets of paper, the sheets being shown in cross section. V

Figure 5 is a similar view with the fastener turned Figure 6 is a side view of the fastener inserted through a large number of paper sheets with the ends of the prongs bent over to complete the fastening'operation, the sheets being shown in cross section.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the paper fastener usedwith a fewer number of paper sheets.

Referring to the drawings, the paper fastener of the present invention is denoted generally by the reference numeral H). In the preferred embodiment the paper fastener is formed from any readily available bendable and preferably non-rusting sheet metal material, such as yellow brass stock. A specific example of suitable,

yellow brass stock is one having a gage hardness of two numbers and approximately .014" in thickness which provides a desired rigidity to 3 ensure that the fastener will retain its shape under normal usage while at the same time permitting the prongs of the fastener to be readily bent by the operator when the fastening operation is carried out.

In accordance with the invention, the selected sheet material from which the fastener is to be made is first stamped out to provide a one piece stamping consisting of two prongs H extending outwardly from opposite edges of a circular head portion l2. As a specific example, the prongs may be formed with a width of the order of and the circular head portion may be formed with a daimeter of the order of /2. The length of the prongs ll may be varied as desired but, in general, I prefer to make the same approximately long. The outer end of the prongs ll may be pointed as indicated at l3, thereby rendering the same more suitable for piercing the sheets of paper in the event a paper punch is not utilized.

In accordance with the invention, the circular head portion [2 is punched to provide a depression It contained within the periphery of the head portion l2. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, the depression I4 is in the shape of a cross, although it will be under-- stood that a depression having other configurations could be utilized. The essential feature is that the depression 14 shall be spaced from and not extended to the peripheral edge of the head portion I2. In general, a shallow depression of the order of- .01 will suflice for the intended purpose.

When the paper fastener is to be put in use, the prongs II are first bent inwardly at right angles to the-plane of the head portion [2. It is essential that the prongs ll be bent so that they extend downwardly from the-cap-portion I2 inthe same direction as the depression M. Itis'an advantage of' the construction'of' the fastener that the bending of the prongs II can beaccomplished without effecting the flatness of the. central head portion 12, the latterbeing rendered comparatively rigid by reason of the depression [4.

I In order to insert the fastener through a plurality of-sheetsof-paper to forma file, thepages may be assembled in desired superposed alignment and then may be punched in any convenient manner to provide spaced apart openings for the insertion of the prongs II. On the other hand, if a punchisnotv readily available, the pages'may be easily impaled on the prongs by reason of the pointed ends [3. The. disposition and relationship of the fastener with respect to the sheets of paper at this stage of the-operation is best shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, it being noted that theprongs l l form a smooth rounded connection with the upper surface [5 of the circular head portionl2 while the under surface 16 of the depression I4 rests against the outwardly facing surface of the top sheet within the periphery of the circularhead portion 12, the sheets of paper being indicated at".

After the fastener has been insertedthrough the stack of-sheets of paper I'Lthe ends of-the prongs ll may be bent over, as indicated in Figures 6 and 7, to complete the fasteningoperation. The place at which the prongs are bent over will of course depend uponthe number of sheets which are being fastened together. Inase muchas the head of the fastener is comparatively.

flat, it-ispossible to easily compressthe'sheets 4 of aper immediatel adjacent the fastener as the prongs are bent over so that the head of the fastener is nested in somewhat of a hollow formed by the outwardly flaring sheets [1, as best shown in Figure 7.

In accordance with the invention, it has been found that the use of a depression 14 in the circular head portion [2 of the fastener ensures that the cap portion l2 will remain relatively flat when subjected to the normal pressures encountered during a fastening operation or during use. Furthermore, the depression I4 ensures that no sharp edges will engage the top sheet particularly at the periphery of the cap portion l2, with the result that tearing of the paper sheets is effectively avoided. Furthermore, because the prongs II are made integral with the upper surface of the head portion 12, there can be no protrusion of the head portion [2 above the curved juncture of the prongs with the head portion. This, together with the slight flaring of the paper sheets which results fromthe compression applied to the fastener, ensuresth'at the headwill not be engaged by other fasteners from adjacent files when it is desired to insert or withdraw the file.

The fastener by reason of its spaced ap'art; prongs H ensures that the sheets of paper H which are fastened together will not tumor twist about the fastener [0 so that the sheetswith the result that it can be made at extremely low cost and the fasteners in'the form shown in Figure 3 may be packaged conveniently in a minimum of space, thus simplifying handling and shipping. The fastener issimple and'convenient to use, and, in general, effectivel'y over comes all of the many disadvantagesencounteredwithconventional paper fasteners of the prior art.

As many changes could be made inthe above construction and many apparently widel'y'differ-" ent embodiments of this invention couldbe made" without departing from the scopethereof, lt'ls intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying draw-'- ings shall be interpreted as illustrative and'noti in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the'language used in the following claim is intended .tocover all of the generic and specific featurestofth'e' in'.

vention herein described; and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as'a matter'of language, might be said to fall therebetween'.

I claim as my invention. A' detachable fastener for expansion files operable to secure together a pluralityofsuperposed and aligned sheets of paper and effective'toprevent relative turning-of the sheets and to avoid:

tearing of the sheets and interengagementwith adjacent files, comprising a single U-shaped. flat metallic strip, having a medial circular. head portionand a pair ofbendable legs depending" downwardly from opposite edges of said head portion said circular. head portion having; a

diameter of'about three times'th width of'said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date McGill Mar. 15, 1887 Adams Apr. 22, 1902 Chiger Aug. 11, 1903 Neider June 21, 1904 MacGregor Sept. 5, 1911 Kline Feb. 7, 1928 Uribe Sept. 19, 1944 

